How Nigerian Varsities Can Achieve Webomatric Ranking – EKSU VC

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By; OLADELE ADEDAYO, Ado-Ekiti
Worried by the perennial problem of Nigerian universities underfunding causing it’s being poorly rated unlike it’s counterparts in advanced countries, the Vice Chancellor of the Ekiti state University (EKSU), Prof. Samuel Oye Bandele has identified introduction  of ‘business and research innovations ‘as the potent weapons that can make the institution survive the predicament.

He stressed that stepping up efforts at adopting this measure
can bring appreciable increase in the revenue generations for the higher institutions of learning in the country
Prof. Bandele who stated this in Ado-Ekiti,the Ekiti state capital at the weekend, disclosed that his
administration has embarked on aggressive revenue generations through establishment of some business ventures.
He said the monthly wage bill of the university stands at N500 million
while the state government released a sum of N270 million as subvention, saying it behoves on him to look inwards to be able to
meet the demands of the university for proper functioning.
The EKSU VC,who praised Governor Ayodele Fayose for considering issues relating to EKSU to be of high premium priority, appealed for more funding from the state in the overall interest of the university .
“The global economic recession makes it expedient for university
managers to think outside the box. Our university is making aggressive
drives in rice, water and block production. The EKSU Rice and EKSU Water are now making waves in Ekiti market while the bakery industry is in the pipeline.
“EKSU Fish,Cow and poultry are also doing well while the moribund
university press has been resuscitated to generate funds for the university.
“We know it will be difficult to increase the tuition fee, I won’t
even dabble into that because the students may not want to hear that
but if we fail to take all these actions, the university could not have been stable in terms of academic calendar due to incessant strikes we would have been witnessing.
“I want to thank members of ASUU, NASU and SSANU for their
understanding. Though, they knew that I am a Vice Chancellor who
places priority on workers’ welfare, they know I don’t joke with it,
because it is their rights.
“When I came on board, I addressed the issues of outstanding
promotions and allowances. Though, we have not been able to meet all our obligations to them, but we will try and ensure that no staff or student of this university suffers unduly for lack of fund”, he promised.
He said the National Universities Commission(NUC) has given the
university the nod for the running of some lucrative courses like
Insurance,Actuarial Science, Educational Technology,marketing,library studies , industrial relations , anatomy, physiology , tourism and entrepreneurial studies.
“Before we came on board, EKSU was no longer attractive to students
because we only offered traditional courses. But with these new
courses,our admission strength has gone up”.
Bandele added that he is planning to introduce the Faculty of
Environmental Science,to prepare grounds for the running of more
professional courses like Architecture, Building Engineering and Estate Management by the university.
“We are also planning to stabilize the Medicine and Surgery course and to also ensure that the Faculty of Pharmacy takes off before the
end of my tenure”.

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